It’s been a long time coming for Sledgehammer Games. Established in 2009, the studio was formed when the minds behind the original Dead Space left Electronic Arts and went to work for Activision. Since then, they’ve been mostly quiet, helping… Continue Reading →

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It's been a long time coming for Sledgehammer Games. Established in 2009, the studio was formed when the minds behind the original Dead Space left Electronic Arts and went to work for Activision. Since then, they've been mostly quiet, helping out with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. But all the while, the team has been working on a project of their own -- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.
"It began three years ago," said Brian Miggels, manager of studio communications. "It’s a labor of love. It’s our first solo product."
Advanced Warfare bears the unmistakable touch of studio leaders' Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey. It takes place 40 years in the future where exoskeleton suits are the norm and the technology enables soldiers to do superhuman things. In the demo I saw, I watched the protagonist Jack Mitchell steer a high-tech vehicle across the Golden Gate Bridge, trying to stop adversaries intent on blowing up the landmark.
Sledgehammer shows off his ability to jump higher -- in this case, atop a turned-over big rig -- and an Overdrive mode where time seems to slowdown and that enables players to flank opponents. Although Mitchell appears to move in Bullet Time, the developers say he's sprinting at a ridiculous speed and manhandling foes with impressive strength by overclocking his suit. Obviously, it's something that can't be used often and that keeps the game balanced.
The Tier 1 soldier of the future will have an exo-skeleton.WORKING ON STORY: "We're breaking the mold a bit," creative director Bret Robbins said. "We're telling something more than a military story."
And that narrative follows Mitchell over eight years as he goes from rookie Marine to a hardened Tier 1 operator, who can survive the explosive incident at the Golden Gate Bridge. One that leads to the landmark's destruction and some jaw-dropping moments that show off the power of the exoskeleton.
The other half the demo took place in a raid at a biolab in the Bulgarian forest after Mitchell's helicopter is shot down. While fleeing enemy troops, the scenario showed off the exoskeleton's other abilities. For example, it offers a Predator-like cloaking device that's activated after the protagonist scales a rock wall.
The exoskeleton can also turn into a cloak when players are outnumbered.STEALTH GAMEPLAY: This is the other end spectrum in battle. The Golden Gate level revealed how the Tier 1 operator can overwhelm bad guys with brute strength. The Bulgaria stage offered an example of how these troops would deal with a situation where they were outmanned and outgunned. Stealth plays a big role as players can take out small squads of foes in coordinated attacks but had to hang back when confronted with drones that thermally scans areas.
As Mitchell and his team continue the mission, players see how war changes with the future tech. As they rappel down the cliff, they'll notice an odd array of trees on the horizon, and descending farther, gamers will realize that it was a giant canopy with a projected image of a forest designed to cover factories below. It's not exactly a ghillie suit moment but it's close to it and puts players in this sci-fi world.
Other touches that set the tone and go hand in hand with Sledgehammer team's style is the user interface. "One of my big goals is to keep immersion," said Robbins. The creative director said that 2D overlays broke the spell of the game, and they fixed it by introducing a Dead Space-like UI with the guns that showed number of bullets, the alternative ammo and other vital information via holograms. Even hacking into computers is shown through augmented reality instead of on-screen prompts.
Players take on the role of Jack Mitchell in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.WEAPON VERSATILITY AND FUTURISTIC DESIGN: Another element that's reminiscent of Dead Space is the versatility of each weapon. Robbins said that was the trend for weapons design. "We did research with military advisers and looked at Tier 1 operators' guns," he said. "Every piece of equipment can do two or three things. It's a trend-line you see."
The biggest example of this is the humble grenade, which gets a high-tech makeover in Advanced Warfare. Now players can choose the type of explosive they want to use before tossing it. "Threat" scans an area and lets players know where foes are hiding. Hitting the button again changes the grenade to "Contact" so that it explodes when it hits a surface. "Smart" turns the grenade into a heat seeking missile that hovers in air before rocketing to enemies.
There are other explosives I saw. One blinds foes and another actually scrambles the exoskeletons rendering them unusable for a short time.
Another Dead Space touch came in the design of an experimental tank that Mitchell and his team stumble upon while raiding the biolab. Called the T740, it looked almost like a vehicle from the USG Ishimura. Mitchell piloted it and wrecked havoc on enemy forces as his team escaped in one of those hallmark Call of Duty chase scenes.
One of the levels takes place in Seoul, South Korea.THE KEVIN SPACEY EFFECT: Lastly, Robbins touched on the role Kevin Spacey had on the game.
"When we were writing the part for (Jonathan) Irons, we had Spacey in mind," he said. "He was invested in the project. He was excited about what we were doing."
The creative director said Spacey elevated the other actors around him and offered feedback on the script, even rewriting some dialogue. The result is a complex character, Robbins said, one that's very different from the first impression in the debut trailer. Because they're using Spacey's likeness, it will inevitably draw comparisons to a certain character in House of Cards. But Robbins emphasized that, "They're very different characters. We didn't want Frank Underwood to play our character." In fact, he stressed that he never called Irons a villain. That's another layer of intrigue in what's shaping up to be a return to the high standards of the series.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare will be released Nov 4 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Images courtesy of Activision
Want to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him at Twitter.com/gcacho.
]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2014/06/24/e3-2014-the-dead-space-influence-on-call-of-duty-advanced-warfare/feed/0Call of Duty Advanced Warfare Logo_WhiteCoD_AW_Induction_Vision_Mode_ActiveCoD_AW_Induction_Seoul_SurvivorCoD_AW_Induction_RushCoD_AW_Induction_SurveyBy: TwitterButtons.comSkylanders Trap Team lets you catch and play as villainshttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2014/04/23/skylanders-trap-team-lets-you-catch-and-play-as-villains/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2014/04/23/skylanders-trap-team-lets-you-catch-and-play-as-villains/#commentsWed, 23 Apr 2014 23:00:39 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=26600

It always amazes me how Skylanders manages to reinvent itself each year. Now entering its fourth iteration, the series that invented the toys-to-life genre is once again adding a fresh wrinkle and, of course, action figures to its new game.… Continue Reading →

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It always amazes me how Skylanders manages to reinvent itself each year. Now entering its fourth iteration, the series that invented the toys-to-life genre is once again adding a fresh wrinkle and, of course, action figures to its new game.
"How do we push that innovation more?" said Jeff Poffenbarger, Toys for Bob executive producer. "We’re ahead of the field. What if we reverse the magic? What if you can take the digital toy, in the physical world.? We’re going to be bringing life to toys."
And that's how Skylanders Trap Team was born. The game once again returns players to Skylands, where Kaos has another a plan to take over the world. He realizes that the reason for his defeats was the lack of powerful allies, so he decides to bust out the inmates from Cloudcracker Prison.
With all these villains running around Skylands, it's up to the Trap Masters and the Skylanders to recapture them.
Meet Snap Shot, one of the Trap Masters, his weapons are made out of the special material called Traptanium.HOW THE MAGIC HAPPENS: That's done with a bit of technological magic and a new type of portal. Players will battle major villains and lesser ones and at certain points, they'll have to trap them in crystalline objects made up of magical substance called Traptanium. In the real world, the traps look like colored glass in the shape of weapons. In the demo I saw, a Trap Master called Snap Shot battled a familiar foe in Chompy Mage. (He's a boss that fans fought in Skylanders Giants.) After a series of attacks, he was defeated and players can catch the Chompy Mage by placing a Life elemental trap in the new Traptanium Portal. It's a bit like Pokemon or if you're older -- Ghostbusters.
The next thing you know the villain appears to be inside the toy "trap." What's even better is that players can insert the trap into the portal and play as the villain whenever they want. In fact, it's advantageous because players can instantly swap out between a villain and Skylander at the touch of a button. That creates a deeper combat system as players can mix up attacks. In one instance, Chill Bill, a foe-turned-ally, can freeze enemies. Immediately afterward, a player can switch out a Skylander Giant and finish the job by smashing the goons. Add in another Skylander for co-op and there's a dynamic trio of combat possibilities. For example, there are healing villains that can keep both players alive.
Familiar foes like the Chompy Mage will return, but most of villains will be brand new.TRAPS FOR CERTAIN ELEMENTAL ENEMIES: With eight elements in the Skylanders universe, players will need eight Traptanium Traps to capture all the different enemies in the game. Totaling at more than 40 villains, there'll be plenty of opportunities to turn your hated rivals to your allies, including, ahem, upper management. In addition, each villain has a full set of moves, elemental traits and their own zones.
So what happens if a player weakens a boss enough for a capture but doesn't have the right elemental crystal? Poffenbarger says the development team is still debating how to deal with that issue. Eliminating a foe when he's down is underhanded and goes against the game's family-value themes. To fix that, he said the team is leaning toward rewarding players with experience and items. The enemies would just turn into prizes.
Another issue that pops up is how do players deal with multiple villains on one trap. Unfortunately, each trap can only hold one villain at a time. Fortunately, the Trap Team has a kind of vault where players can put any of their captured foes. When they want, they can grab one and download it to the trap and take it with them almost as a mini-sidekick to their main Skylander.
The banter between the two baddies in the Shred Naut will make it a must-have in a fight.WHEN MAKE-BELIEVE SEEMS LIKE REALITY: But what makes this all work is the speaker inside the new portal. As a villain is trapped into the crystal, players can hear the transition from the main screen to the portal. It's magical and deepens the spell Skylanders casts on players. It's a clever interplay as a foe like the Shred Naut goes from an enemy spewing out insults to a bantering ally encased in the Traptanium Portal and crystal trap. Some villains even give players hints as they play through a stage. It's the type of make-believe that's good enough to seem real.
As with the other titles, Skylanders Trap Team will support toys from all the previous games though there won't be any content tailored especially for them. Fans can expect about 30 new Skylanders figurines (new core characters and reposed favorites) coming out with this edition. Also, the starter pack will come with the new Traptanium Portal (which isn't backward compatible), a Water elemental trap, a Life elmental trap, Snap Shot the Trap master and a new Skylander named Food Fight. It will also include the game, which is scheduled for release Oct. 5 on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.
Images courtesy of ActivisionWant to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him at Twitter.com/gcacho.
]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2014/04/23/skylanders-trap-team-lets-you-catch-and-play-as-villains/feed/0Skylanders Trap Team_Chopper 2Skylanders Trap Team_Snap Shot 2Skylanders Trap Team_Villain_Chompy MageSkylanders Trap Team_Villain_Shred NaughtBy: TwitterButtons.comSkylanders SWAP Force ready for Disney’s challenge (preview)http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/08/01/skylanders-swap-force-previe/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/08/01/skylanders-swap-force-previe/#commentsThu, 01 Aug 2013 13:00:59 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=25832

For the first time in its short history, the Skylanders franchise faces a serious challenge. The game that was a pioneer in combining action figures and video games now faces a 600-pound gorilla with the launch of Disney Infinity in… Continue Reading →

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For the first time in its short history, the Skylanders franchise faces a serious challenge. The game that was a pioneer in combining action figures and video games now faces a 600-pound gorilla with the launch of Disney Infinity in August. So how is Activision competing?
They're building on the foundation that developer Toys for Bob laid out and coming out withSkylanders: SWAP Force. This time around, Vicarious Visions is at the helm and the team there improved on the engine they built for the series. SWAP Force features a graphical boost and new gameplay wrinkles for the characters, most notably the ability to jump.
Rattle Shake is one of the newest characters in the Skylanders universe.PROTECTING THE CLOUDBREAK ISLANDS: As for the story, it has a Saturday morning cartoon feel as Lord Chaos once again sets his sights on Skylands. He creates a new contraption called the Evilizer that apparently makes things evil. He wants to head over to the Cloudbreak Islands where there's a mystical volcano that erupts once every 100 years. The natural wonder restores the magic in Skylands. His maniacal plan resembles what happened the last time the volcano was active.
Back then, the SWAP Force defended the landmark from another villain with a similar plot to harness the power of the volcano. The team of heroes got caught in the explosion and they developed the power to swap tops and bottoms. That's how Activision introduces the latest advancement in its figurines.
Design producer Michael Graham said it plays to the strength of the series. He said Skylanders has always tightly tied the fiction and the toys together. The backstory makes players believe that the action figures contain living breathing heroes that only come alive through the portal. And that's how Skylanders is differentiating itself from Disney Infinity -- by capitalizing on the bonds kids have built with each toy.
There are magnets in the Skylanders action figures that let players switch them out so they stay connected.KEEPING AHEAD OF THE PACK: "It was only a matter of time before others jumped in," Graham said, mentioning Nintendo, Rovio and Disney. "We were the first though. We created that magical blend between the physical and video game world."
The customization of the Skylanders SWAP Force plays into that philosophy. It lets players create their own hero. Whenever they switch out the bottoms and tops different heroes with different names are created. Wash Buckler becomes Stink Buckler or Magna Charge transforms into Magna Blade.
Graham said it takes a lot of work animating the different combinations so they can fire weapons, jump across platforms and move naturally. Moreover, the updated figures also requires a new portal. The old peripheral won't work with the new title because it can't read the different RFID chips attached to each half of the toy. And with up to 250 combinations that's a lot of information to read and decipher.
Magna Charge is one of the new characters in the game.SUPPORT FOR OLD FAVORITES: As for previous toys, they'll still be compatible with Skylanders SWAP Force. This time around, Vicarious Visions raises the level cap to 20. In addition, there are new versions of old favorites such as Stealth Elf in the Series 3 of the toys.
The game even supports Giants. The large creatures can jump and move around the world like any other hero, but as an added benefit, they can open secret Giants Vaults in the game.
Lastly, the SWAP Force characters have their own bonus missions that they can access. They'll need certain bottoms to open up the areas and they're filled with bite-size challenges that are fun to play. In a Bounce Zone, I had to use the coils of Rattle Shake to jump from platform to platform to get to the end.
The rewards for finishing the zones include hats that offer stat bonuses for heroes. There are also special and legendary treasures that can let players customize the hub world and offer global buffs that essentially change the game.
Here are three sets of SWAP Force figurines.PRICE POINT: Because players will need to get a new portal, Skylanders SWAP Force will be sold as starter packs, so it's going to be pricier than Skylanders: Giants. The Starter Pack will include Stealth Elf Series 3 and two SWAP Force heroes -- Wash Buckler and Blast Zone. Individual SWAP Force toys will be sold for $14.99.
It'll be interesting to see if the allure of Disney Infinity will attract Skylanders young audience or if that crowd will stick with heroes who may not have the name recognition as Mickey Mouse but they've built a bond with. We'll find out when the game is released Oct. 13.
Images courtesy of Activision
Want to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter.
]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/08/01/skylanders-swap-force-previe/feed/1Skylanders SWAP Force - Free Ranger vs ChompiesSkylanders SWAP Force - Rattle Shift (Rattle Shake_Night Shift)20130724_090047Skylanders SWAP Force - Magna Charge20130724_090009By: TwitterButtons.comHow Destiny and Titanfall will define next-gen shootershttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/06/27/how-destiny-and-titanfall-will-define-next-gen-shooters/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/06/27/how-destiny-and-titanfall-will-define-next-gen-shooters/#commentsThu, 27 Jun 2013 17:05:14 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=25728

It pretty much had to be this way. The two creative forces that shaped console shooters are coming back with new franchises. In one corner, we have Bungie, which created the hugely successful Halo series, and on the other, we… Continue Reading →

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It pretty much had to be this way. The two creative forces that shaped console shooters are coming back with new franchises. In one corner, we have Bungie, which created the hugely successful Halo series, and on the other, we have Respawn Entertainment, lead by the minds that brought fans Call of Duty.
Both developers have a vision about what a next-gen shooter should be. First, let's get what they have in common out of the way. Players on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 can expect shooters that blend multiplayer and single-player elements. Call it "mingle" or "smultiplayer" but whatever you name it, the games of the future won't have distinct modes anymore. They'll be part of a cohesive whole.
But the big question is Who carves out that concept? Which studio will have the multiplayer-singleplayer model that others adopt. Respawn and Bungie have different philosophies on the matter.
There are different classes in Destiny as players team up on the fly.DESTINY IS FULL OF LOOT: With Destiny, Bungie is aiming for a loot-oriented adventure that combines traits of a shooter and role-playing game. Players become the hero of their own adventure as they defend the last bastion of mankind. Visually, the game is impressive showing off intricate lighting effects in the demo I saw at E3. A pair of teammates explored the fringes of Old Russia.
Destiny features character classes and special pickups that players earn defeating bosses. It's a more beautiful, refined version of Borderlands. Players will have to use their powers to complement each other and use teamwork to defeat foes. They'll even have to revive each other in-game. But where it gets interesting is in how they introduce multiplayer events.
The battle against the Devil Walker shows off beautiful character design by Bungie.AND SUDDENLY MULTIPLAYER ROLLS IN: After defeating a particularly hard foe and showing off the weapons they earned in the demo, the two players went outside to meet up with another friend who happened to be on. They were shooting the breeze when the trio were thrown into a bigger battle seamlessly. It came out of nowhere as alien ships teleported in and dropped an enormous Devil Walker in their midst.
This drew them into a large-scale fight that involved more than a half dozen players of varying levels and skill. They all had to work together to take down the beast. It's chaotic and sudden, but somehow it works. There's a spontaneity to the encounter as strangers become instant allies. It creates an unscripted social experience that enables players to bond. It reminds me of meeting a random player in Journey and helping them on their way.
You can wall run in Titanfall. It opens up the levels more and creates much needed verticality.FROM THE MINDS THAT BROUGHT YOU CALL OF DUTY: Respawn takes a different tack. Jason West and Vince Zampella create a project that appears to have the quick-twitch feel and competitiveness of Call of Duty's multiplayer. But there's more of a single-player element working here. In the E3 2013 demo I saw, the team showed off a map-level where one team had to protect a civilian ship called the Red Eye, so it can evacuate a war zone.
The fight is fast-paced and Respawn introduces a few new elements to the first-person shooter. The first is a double jump that opens a new verticality to the levels. Now players can get to areas that previously seem out of reach. In addition, there's a wall run that can extend a jump and let players traverse vast areas of terrain relatively quickly.
But the big star of Titanfall is of course the Titans, which are giant mech suits that every player has. The word "Titanfall" refers to the act of a ship sending the robots to the battlefield. The mechs add another layer of strategy and gunplay to the combat. Now players have to hold off and figure out when is the best time to use the mech. Should they save it for a bad situation? Do they use it in conjunction with teammates to storm a node point in a Conquest mode? It's all up to the players and the team.
Titans and foot soldiers have to team up or could you have an army of Titans?TITANS ARE A GAME-CHANGER: And yes, the Titans are brutally strong. Players can rip a pilot out of his mech. They can eject out, land on a rival suit and sabotage it. The robots can even grab debris out of the environment and toss it at foes like a sudden shower of bullets. The rub comes when your mech goes down. There's a two minute cooldown before another Titan can be built and sent.
But the most interesting thing is how there are giant moments in the map-level that are visual payoffs you'd see in a single-player campaign. In the demo, one side lost and we saw an epic moment as the Red Eye fell from the sky and exploded. All of this was done in real-time while the fighting was still happening. When a team loses, they know it.
But interestingly enough, Titanfall's match didn't end there. There's no "You win" or "You lose" screen. The losing side had to evacuate the area and the in-game characters set up a waypoint for the group to meet up. Now, everyone has to reach the drop point or die trying. It's a scripted event, but the magic is that it's still within the fiction of the universe and mission. Of course, fighters wouldn't be abandoned and of course they have to find a way out.
It makes me wonder if what I was playing was a multiplayer level or part of a story-driven campaign that I was a part of.
Destiny has a beautiful world.SPONTANEOUS OR SCRIPTED? And that's what's so compelling about the upcoming generation of games. Destiny and Titanfall bring a new philosophy to shooters. These games will ultimately set a standard for what is to come, and it'll sure be interesting to see what vision dominates the industry. We already know that Call of Duty stole the multiplayer crown from Halo with its persistent leveling system that was adopted by the rest of the industry.
Titanfall could folow the same path, but then again, being an Xbox One and PC exclusive could limit its audience compared to the multiplatform Destiny. We'll see which one will set the tone for the rest of the generation when both shooters launch in 2014.
Images courtesy of Activision and Electronic Arts Want to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter. ]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/06/27/how-destiny-and-titanfall-will-define-next-gen-shooters/feed/0Destiny_42Destiny_35Destiny_31titanfall_screen_1titanfall_screen_2Destiny_02By: TwitterButtons.comE3 2013: First official day in pictureshttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/06/12/e3-2013-first-official-day-in-pictures/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/06/12/e3-2013-first-official-day-in-pictures/#commentsWed, 12 Jun 2013 08:05:05 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=25595

Today, the show floor was open and E3 has officially begun. After a hectic Monday where publishers and console makers sent the agenda, Tuesday was the time we saw the games. Here was my day at the show: I visited… Continue Reading →

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Today, the show floor was open and E3 has officially begun. After a hectic Monday where publishers and console makers sent the agenda, Tuesday was the time we saw the games. Here was my day at the show: I visited Nintendo's booth in the morning (See Shigeru Miyamoto above) and followed that up at Electronic Arts. From there, I took a trip to Activision to see Destiny and Call of Duty: Ghosts. I stopped by Atlus before ending the day at the Saints Row IV hands-on preview and aForza Motorsports 5 party.
Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, introduces Miyamoto.
Super Mario 3D WorldThe Legend of Zelda: A Link Between WorldsHideki Kamiya, one of the most talented developers on earthMario and LuigiPikmin 3Insanity after the booth was opened to the general attendees.They got a car for this Gran Turismo 6 display.Zombies at the Capcom booth promoting Dead Rising 3.Electronic Arts booth64 player Battlefield 4.Battlefield 4Disney Interactive if you couldn't tell by the castle.Ubisoft boothInside the Destiny preview roomHere's the Call of Duty: Ghosts roomPokemon creators answers questions about the franchise and their upcoming game Pokemon X and Pokemon YThere's an F1 car at the Forza 5 partyMustang CobraAnother F1 carA McLarenAston MartinLexusCar interiorForza 5 with a sled and using a Thrustmaster wheel that's still in development for the Xbox OneSled from another angleIt's almost like driving in real life. You can see the dashboard reflection on the windshield.Corvette]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2013/06/12/e3-2013-first-official-day-in-pictures/feed/0MiyamotoIMG_9941IMG_9950IMG_9954IMG_9956IMG_9963IMG_9969IMG_9970IMG_9973IMG_9974IMG_9984IMG_9981IMG_9986IMG_9992IMG_9993IMG_0003IMG_0009IMG_0011IMG_0014IMG_0021IMG_0048IMG_0053IMG_0052IMG_0063IMG_0056IMG_0057IMG_0058IMG_0059IMG_0070Quick thoughts on Call of Duty: Black Ops II on Wii Uhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/10/16/quick-thoughts-on-call-of-duty-black-ops-ii-on-wii-u/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/10/16/quick-thoughts-on-call-of-duty-black-ops-ii-on-wii-u/#commentsTue, 16 Oct 2012 21:07:03 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=25020

If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed this holiday, it’s that Call of Duty: Black Ops II will sell like hotcakes. I’m sure millions of copies will move across the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. But the one platform that… Continue Reading →

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If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed this holiday, it’s that Call of Duty: Black Ops II will sell like hotcakes. I’m sure millions of copies will move across the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. But the one platform that interests me will be the Wii U.
The first-person shooter will be released on the system’s launch day. But the big question for many is Will it be worth it? Should gamers wait a few days longer to get it on the hot, new system instead of the current gen setups?
I had a chance to check out Call of Duty: Black Ops II's multiplayer mode at a recent San Francisco event. The demo I played only featured bots, but it gave me a sense of how the Wii U Gamepad would work. First off, the controls are mostly the same compared with its console peers. Those accustomed to playing on the Xbox 360 or PS3 will have no problem adjusting. There are a few new moves like going prone from a jump.
EASIER TO MAKE A CUSTOM CLASS: The new improvements such as the pick 10 system to create a custom class is there. It simplifies making a soldier that matches your play style. I’ve seen things as normal as two weapons, two grenades, three perks and three attachments to something as radical as a knife and six active perks thanks to a three wild card perks at the bottom.
Second, Treyarch is introducing the concept of leagues to online play. It’s a better way for Black Ops II to assess your skills and put you with a group that matches your skill level. As you improve, you can move up to a higher league, almost like ladder structure.
Third, though Elite is free to other platforms now, it's not coming to Wii U ... yet. Nevin Dravinski, producer Call of Duty Black Ops II, says that there is no current plans to bring it to Wii U at the moment. But he said Treyarch will come back to the issue again if there’s a huge demand for it on the system. As for Wii U online play itself, players don’t have to worry about an Xbox Live Gold-type subscription fee. Online play will be free out of the box. No additional purchases after you pick up the game.
Fourth, when it comes to friends list, an Activision representative said it will work like the services on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 "except you can only add people you've met in a game. You cannot type a tag in and send a friend request." As for jumping into friends's games, players will be able to hook up with buddies they see on their list and join their game. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the Wii U infrastructure will work out.
THE CHANGES WITH THE WII U GAMEPAD: Lastly, the big and obvious difference between this Black Ops II and the others is the touchscreen on the Wii U Gamepad. In the multiplayer mode, that’s where the radar sits along with virtual buttons for the perks that build up with kills and helping a team on an objective. With the radar on the Gamepad, there’s more of the screen to look at though the game on the big screen doesn’t run at 1080p, according to Ramon Aranda of GottGame.
If you’re playing and say the significant other wants to watch The Voice on TV. You can seamlessly transfer the game from the big screen to the Wii U Gamepad screen. On the smaller screen, it looks nearly the same. The only difference is that the radar is in the upper left. There’s no noticeable lag that can ruin a match. A player can just plug in headphones to listen to the sound and frag on while the girlfriend watches people sing their guts out.
BONUS POINTS
As the trailers and demos have shown, Call of Duty: Black Ops II takes place in the near future. With the new sci-fi tech, players have some interesting new weapons such as a Guardian turret that shoots out microwaves that fry anyone that comes close. That's gonna be a huge weapon for Domination games. Players can also call on drones, which work just like the helicopter gunships in the previous games.
I do like how streaks are awarded by score so that those who may not be the best marksman can still access those higher level bonuses.
We played on a map called Cargo that's based in Singapore. The map constantly changes as ship containers are moved throughout the battlefield. And yes, those who aren't careful can have a crate land on them.
Image courtesy of Activision
Want to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter.
]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/10/16/quick-thoughts-on-call-of-duty-black-ops-ii-on-wii-u/feed/12PE_WiiUCVR_gm03By: TwitterButtons.comActivision marks Global James Bond Day with 007 Legends screenshots, videohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/10/05/activision-marks-global-james-bond-day-with-007-legends-screenshots-video/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/10/05/activision-marks-global-james-bond-day-with-007-legends-screenshots-video/#commentsFri, 05 Oct 2012 23:43:00 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=24966

Sometimes I wonder who makes up these made-up holidays. We have International Talk Like A Pirate Day (Sept. 19), which is one of the funnest days of the year in the newsroom. There’s also a good story behind it. I’m… Continue Reading →

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Sometimes I wonder who makes up these made-up holidays. We have International Talk Like A Pirate Day (Sept. 19), which is one of the funnest days of the year in the newsroom. There's also a good story behind it. I'm pushing for an official Talk Like Macho Man Day on May 20, that's the date of his death. If that wasn't enough, today -- I'm talking about Oct. 5 -- it's Global James Bond Day, according to the official site of 007. So what's special about the date? Oct. 5, 1962, was the release date of the first Bond film in Britain, and 50 years later, we're on the verge of a new film entry to the series as well as a new video game.
Activision sent over some screenshots and video of the opening credits to its latest Bond game 007 Legends. The Eurocom-developed title lets gamers play through some of the most famous scenes from the spy flicks. They'll go through moments in Goldfinger, Die Another Day, Moonraker, License to Kill, Her Majesty's Secret Service and Skyfall. I posted a screenshot earlier this year. But for newer ones, hit the jump.
]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/10/05/activision-marks-global-james-bond-day-with-007-legends-screenshots-video/feed/5007 Legends - Opening Credit Cinematic (007 Legends)007 Legends - Opening Credit Cinematic (Icarus)007 Legends - Opening Credit Cinematic (Activision)007 Legends - Opening Credit Cinematic (Dripping Gold)007 Legends - Opening Credit Cinematic (Women on Fire)007 Legends - Opening Credit Cinematic (Golden Girl)007 Legends - Opening Credit Cinematic (Diamonds)Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 features a heart rate sensor controllerhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/09/24/cabelas-dangerous-hunts-2013-features-a-heart-rate-sensor-controller/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/09/24/cabelas-dangerous-hunts-2013-features-a-heart-rate-sensor-controller/#commentsMon, 24 Sep 2012 12:00:20 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=24931

*Update: There were actually two games shown at the event. I clarified which is which. Living in the city, I don’t get exposed to hunting. It’s about as alien to me as Swahili. The closest I’ve ever been to hunting… Continue Reading →

]]>*Update: There were actually two games shown at the event. I clarified which is which.
Living in the city, I don’t get exposed to hunting. It’s about as alien to me as Swahili. The closest I’ve ever been to hunting was in a college friend’s pickup truck. He offered me a piece of squirrel jerky from a recent kill. I passed on that, but now I regret it.
Go to the Midwest or in the South and you’ll find that hunting is a way of life for most folks. Shoppers wander the aisles of Walmart in camo. Pickups with gun racks are more common than Priuses. It’s a pastime like fishing for those on the coast or near rivers. Heck, even one of my journalism teachers hunted on the weekends. It’s something I’ve wanted to do just once but I have neither the time nor the money to pour into it.
But that’s what video games are sometimes for -- fantasy fulfillment. For those curious about the hunting life, Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 and Cabela's Hunting Expeditions offer a solution. Like previous editions, they try to simulate the thrill of the stalking prey in the wilderness. In Cabela's Hunting Expeditions, Players choose weapons such as a classic .223 bolt action rifle and head outdoors to search for deer, moose or other big game.
Cabela's features a long list of firearms like this Classic .223 Bolt Action rifle.TRAVERSING THE WILDERNESS: In the demo, I was surprised to see that the process was much more involved than just setting up shop in a wooded area and firing. Cabela’s Hunting Expeditions is more involved. Players have an avatar and move him through the wilderness, climbing along cliffs and hurdling over logs. If they get lost, players can activate an ability called hunter sense.
It’s a move similar to Eagle Vision in Assassin’s Creed. It shows players a path and the hunting rests in the area. There’s also another perspective that zooms out on the level and shows them the lay of the land from a top-down perspective.
As they move closer to the goal, players have to be aware of the environment. They have to watch the vegetation to see if any branches are swaying from deer trampling through the brush. They have to stay quiet because animals can hear and see them. Trudging through the wilderness, there's also an emphasis of moving down wind of the prey so they don’t smell you.
If you're patient and calm, you'll be able to see the vital organs of an animal before you shoot them.TAKING THE SHOT: Once, the player reached the hunting rest, where they lay down their rifle for a steadier shot, they can take aim. The goal is to shoot the animal at its side and not the face or you can ruin the trophy. After blasting the animal, they move around a bit and scare off their critter friends but they eventually collapse.
The hunt gives you the trophy to brag about and it also awards players gunsmith points, which can be used to customize and upgrade their firearms.
A pride of lions can be tricky if you don't know which one to strike first.HANDS-ON WITH THE NEW GUN: During the second part of the demo, I actually had some hands-on time with the new Top Shot Fearmaster light gun and played Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2013. The controller is wireless and uses a Wii-like sensor bar to track where you aim. But there’s more to the peripheral than just wireless connection, the Top Shot Fearmaster also monitors your heart rate thanks to two metal sensors.
Being calm before firing helps improve the aim so that players can take accurate shots. Going up against a pride of lions, I had to hold the rifle steady and try to relax. I could see my heart rate spike up in the 90s before going down to the 80s. Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 constantly monitors your condition and when everything is excellent, players can see the lions vital organs such as the brain, heart and lungs.
When hunting a pride, it’s imperative that you go after the male lion. Once he goes down, the rest of the lions scatter. On the other hand, if you shoot a lioness, you have to deal with the rest of the pack, and that’s a disaster. You may as well stick a fork in yourself because you’re going to be done. This has the potential to be a fun party game. It’s a little goofy but you can see which one of your friends is the coolest under the faux pressure of the hunt.
Hit the vital organs for an instant kill.A STORY WRITTEN BY A FRINGE SCRIBE: The last two parts of the demo featured the story mode, which is penned by Fringe writer Andre Kreisberg. It focuses on two brothers on a bonding trip. The two go about hunting moose and other wild game. During the adventure, they learn something about themselves as they run into unexpected complications like a pack of wolves that are attracted to one of their kills.
From the snippet I saw, it looked compelling enough to try. The narrative shows off the new Prowler AI system that tries to deliver more realistic animal reactions and attacks. For example, the wolves that the brothers encounter circle around the pair. The predators try to attack head-on as a distraction so the other members of the pack can lunge at them from behind.
Here's some teamwork in action. The game does have split-screen in the Maneater mode.A HORDE MODE: The other mode was more conventional and also the most fun. It’s called Maneater. It uses the regular console controllers and pits two players against waves of big cats. They’ll have to blast the felines while dodging their jaws and claws. It requires a lot of teamwork as the cat’s grow fiercer in each round and players are assigned new missions. Objectives include fixing a broken radio and defending an injured civilian.
The mode can get hairy as ammo and health get low. Players will have to figure out who gets the extra clip of bullets or who should receive the last health pack. Whereas other modes may appeal to the casual gamer, this is what will draw the hard-core crowd, especially when they get to fend off tigers. Sadly, I can confirm that players won’t get any points for trying to be one with them.Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013 is scheduled for release Oct. 23.
BONUS POINTSI was always impressed by how the Cabela games can sell. Some editions have hit 1 million units sold. It makes me wonder: Are there really a million hunters in North America who also play video games? From spending time with the game, I can see how it tries to appeal to different segments and players of different skill ranges. The different modes can be part of the game's appeal.
Images courtesy of ActivisionWant to know what Gieson Cacho is playing? Follow him on Twitter.
]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2012/09/24/cabelas-dangerous-hunts-2013-features-a-heart-rate-sensor-controller/feed/1Cabelas DH 2013 PS3 Bundle FOBCabelas HE Classic .223 RifleCabelas DH 2013 Lioness PouncingCabelas DH 2013 LionsCabelas DH 2013 Lion FearmasterCabelas DH 2013 Hunting PackBy: TwitterButtons.comSkylanders: Spyro’s Adventure adds toys to video game equationhttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2011/08/12/skylanders-spyros-adventure/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2011/08/12/skylanders-spyros-adventure/#commentsFri, 12 Aug 2011 19:20:08 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=22500

By the time Spyro: The Dragon was released in 1998, I was beyond its demographic. To me, the franchise has always skewed to the younger set. The succeeding adventures never interested me. It rose to prominence toward the tail end… Continue Reading →

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By the time Spyro: The Dragon was released in 1998, I was beyond its demographic. To me, the franchise has always skewed to the younger set. The succeeding adventures never interested me. It rose to prominence toward the tail end of the original PlayStation’s lifespan, and by then, I had moved on to other consoles.
But it’s a series that has a strong following, one that’s justified several sequels and one major reboot. Now once again, Spyro’s is getting another makeover and judging from fan reaction, Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure hasn’t entirely been positive. (That’s putting it kindly.)
Fans who grew up with the series may have expected the purple dragon to age with them, but Toys for Bob has decided to keep Spyro for the younger set.
TOYING AROUND: “We want to take Spyro and introduce him to a new audience,” said Jeff Poffenbarger, Skylanders’ executive producer. “We wanted to introduce it to kids who have no idea who Spyro is.”
Recently, I had a chance to talk with him about the project and the one big feature that could make or break it -- toys. I’m not talking about merchandise tie-ins. The idea is shaping up to be more than that. The Skylanders game will come with a peripheral called the Portal of Power and three figurines. These toys not only represent one of 32 playable characters; the toys are your in-game characters.
Trying to bridge that gap between the virtual and the real, the developer, Toys for Bob, decided to “bring the toys to life” as Poffenbarger says. The technology the studio’s engineers created allows players to put down a Spyro figurine on the Portal of Power and see the character pop up in the video game. Do it with a different figurine and the corresponding hero drops in.
CROSS-PLATFORM SAVES: So where do they go from here? Well, players can go through the campaign with Spyro and all the data and information for Spyro will be saved on that figurine. They can then take the toy to a friend's house and put it on her Portal of Power and use the same character on a different system. It doesn’t matter what console they have. The toys work across platforms.
It’s a clever piece of technology especially because the characters that player’s create stay persistent. In Skylanders, there are opportunities to dress up heroes in stat-boosting hats or choose different paths of an upgrade tree. In essence, the hero within each figurine should be as distinct as the player.
In addition to that, the system supports two player co-op or a battle mode where players can duke it out with their customized characters. All they have to do is put their figurines on the Portal of Power (it can hold two) and they can go at it. Finally, if players just want to reset their hero after a play through, they can do that, too, and start with a fresh build.
TAKING PLAY OFFLINE: The figurines extend the Spyro experience for kids. Wired into the game they can enjoy the adventure, and offline, they can bring the toy and continue playing with it outside in the sandbox or the playground. Poffenbarger highlighted the potential saying that the technology could have made his 1980s GI Joes more compelling.
As for the gameplay itself and from what Poffenbarger said, it sounds similar to aDiablo-like hack and slasher. Spyro and his friends go through dungeons wacking foes and getting items and experience, which in turn powers up the character. He said the lead platform is the Wii. That version is being done by Toys for Bob. XPEC Entertainment is working on the Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3 versions, but despite the different consoles, Poffenbarger said they will all play the same. The one difference is on the Nintendo 3DS. It’s more of a platformer.
The one caveat for the game is that with 32 different figurines available, players won’t have the full experience out of the box. Poffenbarger said the campaign itself with one character lasts 10 to 14 hours. But throughout the game, there will be gated zones that players can’t access unless they have a figurine associated with a certain element. For example, if there's a water gate, players will need a water Skylander. To see the whole game, if one were so inclined, fans would have to pony up for more figures and that can get pricey at $7.99 for one. But keep in mind, these areas associated with other Skylanders are optional. They won’t be needed to complete the main game.
MORE FIGURINES ON THE WAY: Extending the figurine idea further, Poffenbarger also said that they’ll introduce DLC that way. Players can buy figurines that hold adventure expansion packs and other content.
Lastly, the whole idea of bringing content via figurines and Toys for Bob’s approach to Spyro has garnered some negative reaction from longtime fans and hard-core gamers. There's no denying that. Poffenbarger acknowledged the issue saying, “We’re not blind to that. You can read what they’re saying. But it’s not our demographic. … You have to have pretty thick skin in the industry.”
Ultimately though, the success of Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure will come down to price. At $69.99, the starter pack that includes the game, the Portal of Power, three figurines, trading cards and a poster is going to be more expensive than most games. And because each starter pack (save for Nintend 3DS one which will have a different set) will come with the same figurines, players will have to buy new ones if they want to access other areas or trade them with friends. Gamers will have to figure out if this new feature is worth an extra $10 or more. For some, it could be.
Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure is scheduled for release Oct. 16.]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2011/08/12/skylanders-spyros-adventure/feed/350Spyro 03StarterPack_Wii_Front_HiResEruptor 03Co-Op Spyrp & Gill GruntIgnitor 03X-Men: Destiny and Spider-Man: Edge of Time will fill your video game superhero needshttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2011/07/21/x-men-destiny-and-spider-man-edge-of-time-will-fill-your-video-game-superhero-needs/
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2011/07/21/x-men-destiny-and-spider-man-edge-of-time-will-fill-your-video-game-superhero-needs/#commentsThu, 21 Jul 2011 17:13:31 +0000Gieson Cachohttp://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/?p=22313

San Diego is the center of the nerd universe right now as Comic-Con officially kicks off today, and as always, video games will have a presence there. Each year, the industry has become a growing force at the event, and… Continue Reading →

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San Diego is the center of the nerd universe right now as Comic-Con officially kicks off today, and as always, video games will have a presence there. Each year, the industry has become a growing force at the event, and in some ways comic books have returned the favor. Maybe it’s partly because of the movies or perhaps it’s their innate popularity, but there seems to be more superhero-themed video games than ever before.
At Comic-Con, X-Men: Destiny and Spider-Man: Edge of Time are two Activision projects that will likely have some sort of presence. Both are games set in the Marvel universe, and strangely enough, the two titles let players take on the role of multiple heroes. Here’s a quick overview of both.
Spider-Man: Edge of Time -- Coming of the success of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, Beenox returns once again with another web-slinging adventure. But this one won’t be nearly as complicated as the previous one. Whereas the 2010 featured four Spider-Men from four different eras, Edge of Time just has two.
It’s regular old Peter Parker in present day and Miguel O’hara who lives in the year 2099. Both will have to work together to overcome Walker Sloan, an Alchemax scientist from the future who travels back in time to enrich himself. Parker and O’Hara have to work across time foiling Sloan’s plots in the past to fix the future from the strange dystopia it has become.
When it comes to gameplay, Parker and O’Hara play differently and they also have to battle different foes. O’Hara uses more of an up-close brawling style to destroy the mechs and other contraptions. Meanwhile, Parker’s Spider-Man engages enemies from a distance take advantage of his ranged abilities. As for moving around, there is web swinging (It wouldn’t be a Spider-Man game without that.) though it's similar to that of Amazing Spider-Man in found in Shattered Dimensions.
The differing combat-styles is a solid place to start for Beenox, but what intrigues me the most is how the two talk through time, and how Parker’s actions influence O’Hara’s world. Say there’s a wall or some room full of gas in the future. Parker can help Spider-Man 2099 by eliminating the wall or altering some machine so that the path is clear or it removes the poison from O’Hara's way.
It’s smart way to build around comic book writer Peter David’s plot. Fans can expect another adventure with Spidey on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii and Nintendo 3DS in October.
X-Men: Destiny -- I haven’t heard much from Silicon Knights since the developer released Too Human in 2008. The lack of major projects made me wonder what they could be working on. Recently, I found out. One of the projects that was recently announced was X-Men: Destiny and it so happens that the developer is behind the game. From what I saw, it could be one of the more compelling mutant titles to come out in a while.
The game lets you choose from three different mutants: Aimi, a Japanese school girl; Adrian, a former Purifier (that’s anti-mutant group); and Grant, a naive American kid who never paid attention to the outside world. Whomever you pick, you have to do so wisely because it changes the outcome of the story.
The action RPG is set in modern day San Francisco in a post-Professor X world, where the founder of the X-men is dead, and Colossus is now the man in charge. A world without Charles? It sounds pretty dire and looks that way, too.
Silicon Knights emphasizes that X-Men: Destiny is going to be all about player choice. Just the initial decision on character influences the type of power you have, but that can be modified thanks to the X-gene. In this universe, scientists have figured out how to extract the essence of mutant and put it in a test tube. Your character has the ability to absorbe the X-gene and modify her powers.
Basically, you treat the X-gene almost like a piece of armor or weapon in an action RPG like Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance. Players have there slots available for different X-genes that modify different traits like offense, defense, speed, etc. There’s a fourth additional slot for a costume. If you manage to grab all of a superheroes X-genes and costumes, you can get a suit bonus. Not to mention that you'll resemble them.
Along with customization, the other big choice-driven gameplay element are these cinematic decision moments similar Bioshock. Throughout the campaign, you, as a new mutant, will be courted by both the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. You’ll make simple decisions at first like help humans or hurt them or something to that effect. But I’m assuming the dilemmas get more complicated, and eventually, you’ll have to pick a side.
Those choices make a difference in how difficult or easy the game can be. If you antagonize the Brotherhood, in future scenarios, they may not be as accommodating. Ditto the X-men, I assume. There's also opportunities to fight side by side with some of the legendary characters in X-Men universe.
It certainly sounds like a way players can own these three characters. They’ll be able to shape them, make them feel like theirs, and that’s something that doesn’t happen much with superhero games. You're always playing with someone else's creations. Choosing the path of your hero is a promising way to create a superhero game.
X-Men: Destiny is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo 3DS in September.
Wanna know what I'm playing? Follow me on Twitter. ]]>http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2011/07/21/x-men-destiny-and-spider-man-edge-of-time-will-fill-your-video-game-superhero-needs/feed/17SM_EOT_SDCC_ONLINE_07SM_EOT_SDCC_ONLINE_02X-Men Destiny - AimiBy: TwitterButtons.com